"Citizen Kane" is rendered by many as one of the greatest films ever made, if not the best of all time. It is easy to see why once you examine the film techniques incorporated during a period when sound was just being introduced into film making. What I found most interesting about the film was what seems to gain my attention the most in modern films; mise en scene. Because this was Orson Welles' first film, and directorial debut I was extremely impressed with his control over what appeared on film. Much of mise en scene overlaps with theater, which explains why Welles was able to control the aspects so well, considering his theater background. The overall combination of all the film techniques created a film that was not only groundbreaking, but also entertaining to watch.
The first sequence in "Citizen Kane" introduces the viewer to a setting that proves extremely important throughout the film, his massive getaway towards the end of his life- Xanadu. Xanadu is shot beautifully in various different angles, and it is almost hard to believe that Xanadu was actually a painting. Xanadu seemed like a very stylized setting for Kane's refuge. The first clue is the "No Trespassing" sign hanging on the fence, but also the secluded nature of the structure shows just how alone Kane was at the end of his life. I was extremely impressed how through all the shots, the window, where Kane was lying when he spoke his last words, stayed in the same place through every angle. Throughout the entire film, Welles alternates between built artificial sets and paintings for the setting. For the newspaper building, the neighborhood was portrayed through a painting but the close ups on various buildings were built sets on the studio lot. Paintings were not only used to imitate large buildings in the film. In one scene, Kane is giving a speech in front of a huge crowd during his run for Governor of New York. At first, a viewer could be fooled into thinking that there are a lot of extras, but once you look closer it is easy to see that the people are in fact not real. Welles placed a flashlight behind the painting to give the illusion of people moving in the crowd. There are very important utilizations of props in the movie, including the snow globe which Kane is holding in his death bed, his childhood sled, and the puzzles that Susan is working on through many sequences. Each prop is employed not only to have something for the actors to hold but each one also has symbolic meaning. The snow globe and sled remind Kane of his childhood and the life he once had, where as the puzzles not only help shift the film through the seasons but also serve as a metaphor for Kane's life as being told by those he knew; the viewer has to piece the events together along the way, and even with one missing piece, the story would be incomplete. But setting is far from being the only part of the film which is applied to change prospective.
Costume and make up were used to their fullest potential in this film. They proved to be functional as well as symbolic. Make up is obviously important in the portrayal of Kane through all his life stages, especially when played by the same actor the entire film. The use of the face mask helped make Welles' portrayal much more realistic, even causing the viewer not to recognize him by the end. Costume helped exemplify the time period while also highlighting changes in attitude. For example, through the progression of Kane's marriage to his first wife, Emily, the costumes and make up change in the sequence to portray a more tense, uneasy marriage. Emily's make up was also incorporated to contrast with that of Susan, who was much more laid back to say the least. Costume and make up helped demonstrate changes in characters as well as distinguish the time in which that scene is occurring.
Finally, and possibly the most innovative technique for the time period, was the use of lighting. Low key lighting was used in many scenes including the scene where a younger Charles Foster Kane signs the declaration of principles, where he promises to only publish honest news. While signing, due to the low key lighting, Kane's face is in the dark causing the declaration to be the main focus of the scene. The low key lighting throughout provides Welles with the power to control what the viewer focuses on, and surprisingly it is rarely Kane. Welles provides the viewer with a much more intelligent view of the movie by guiding eyes to what he feels are much more symbolic and meaningful to the story.
Mise en scene is a very important aspect of film making, especially in "Citizen Kane." Each time Welles exercises a technique within mise en scene, it creates a scene (and overall, a film) way beyond its time.
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